In December, Institute of West Asia and Africa Studies decided to reorganize the research structure according to the new situation and demand, and establish new six research departments based on discipline development Programmer. Two regional research departments, the Middle East Studies Division and the Africa Studies Division, were disbanded. New research institutes have been established, including the political Studies Division, the economic Studies Division, the international relations Studies Division, social and cultural Studies Division, the ethnic and religious Studies Division, security Studies Division.

The Political Studies Division focuses on political systems, party politics, legal systems, democratization and electoral politics, public policy, foreign policy, Islamic politics, the role of the military, national and local governance, and regional and national development strategies in west Asia and Africa. At present, it mainly studies the political development of the Middle East and Africa, the modernization of regional and national governance, the foreign policies of regional countries, and regional legal issues.

The Political Studies Division now has 5 researchers, including Prof. Tang ZhiChao, Prof.Zhu weidong, Assistant Researcher Shen XiaoLei, Assistant Researcher Zhu QuanGang and Assistant Researcher Meng Jin. Dr.Tang zhichao  is the director of the Political Studies Division, and Dr. Shen XiaoLei as the deputy director of the Political Studies Division.